All parents know that even thinking of a holiday with a toddler might cause some sweating. So, what is the secret key to make your family vacation relaxing? There is no direct answer that would make your holiday the best. With these tips you can make it more comfortable and easier.
Holiday Planning
Choosing destination is hard. It’s good to check that the destination is family friendly. Reserve accommodation which suits your family needs. Usually reading reviews from families is best tool for this, you will know how is the restaurants, are the nearby bars too loud and did kids enjoy the accommodation. Check that there is something nice for all of you available. As much as we wish kids don’t want to spend a week in fancy restaurants, shopping and museums or adults at playgrounds and kids club. Prefer early or daytime for short haul flights. Use direct flights and prefer having all flights under same ticket in case of any delays or cancellations.
Before the trip remember to check your documents and vaccinations are valid for your destination and get a travel insurance if you don’t have it. Finnish citizens can order European healthcare card from Kela free of charge. With the card in case of immediate need of healthcare in EU or ETA countries you can get treated at the same price with locals. Note that children need to have their own cards.
Car seats and strollers
It’s good to think before travelling are you going to rent a car, use taxi or public transportation. Safety requirements are not the same everywhere. Before your trip check if you are able to rent a car seat or if you need to bring your own. In Facebook car seat group, you can ask for tips of car rentals and seat abroad. Good choice is to rent a Stokke Prampack and bring your own seat. Check the local law, European car seats are not allowed all around world.
It might be good idea also to bring a stroller or check if your hotel has strollers you can rent. In Finland airports have free strollers to use after security but there might not be one in your destination airport. If you travel a lot, it might be worth to invest in Babyzen Yoyo which is a light cabin size stroller.
How to pack?
I would recommend travel light, it’s easier trust me. I’m not going to give a full list what you should take with you but here are a few recommendations what to have in your check-in bag.
- Diapers if needed, might sound odd but purchasing diapers abroad is not always easy and we know it might be hard to find a brand that will fit your child.
- Medication, plasters, paracetamol, anesthetic ear drops and any other medication you might need.
What should you bring to cabin? Well, everything doesn’t always go as planned and bag might not arrive with the same flight so on every trip keep everything that you won’t survive a day without with you: change clothes, important medication, medical devices etc. For smooth travel bring a lot of entertainment for your child. From Netflix you can load kids shows offline. It’s good to bring teddy or another toy onboard and coloring or activity books. Our favorite brand is Oppi ja Ilo, which sells reusable coloring and activity book with marker pens. Remember to bring your favorite snacks, extra clothes, wet wipes and if needed a pacifier and diapers.
Airport and flights
At the airport the key thing is to be there early and on time! Nothing ruins the holiday mode more than having to rush with children. Depending on the airline there might be family check-in desks available for smooth travel. Airports usually have family gates for security check. On board you can ask anything on your mind from the cabin crew, they will be happy to help.
It can be helpful to explain every step of the travel day for your children, that way they will know what’s going to happen and it will prevent any temper tantrums and make transitions easier.
Don’t plan too many activities it will be stressful to follow strict schedule. The most important tip for successful holiday is: Remember to enjoy, relax, and make memories!
Thank you for writing about a very important matter. When our kids were toddlers, we traveled only in FInland, but that was a challenge enough for us
List of what to pack was good, and I think – needed.
In my opinion, travelling with kids can be stressful, but also very fulfilling. And the memories – priceless!!
Thank you Maria for the lovely feedback!